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Sarah

Hi there seems to be some confusion about stretching. I think this is passive stretching at the beginning of a workout. This does not negatecareful stretching, as with well taught yoga (Gretchin Reynolds does yoga I believe). The problem is many people don't understand dynamic warming up and they don't understand the preference of active stretching vs passive stretching which are quite different. Active stretching has good science and done properly will strengthen muscles in addition to increasing (and more importantly improving) range of motion.

Being over 45, in pretty good shape, and having tried a variety of movements/exercises, I agree with everything she said. I was just wondering if some of you that don't agree with her, are maybe younger? Just wondering.

To Holly. Why on earth didn't the PT stretch both hips? To work one side of a structure like the hips, which unlike the shoulders, works in unison all the time, is a recipe for imbalance injuries down the road. You should be working that imbalnce out...

Gretchen's theories on fitness seem to be based on her own habits. Drinking chocolate milk is her recommended choice of beverage to improve your health? She is a contrarian who is feeding off of controversial theories that make little or no sense.

caller about back injury: try a physical therapist (but a good one). I think they really really helped me with my knee problem. They know about the entire body and incrementally build up your strength and confidence. The one I've been going to is Jacob at Professional 212-453-4622. awesome.

Sorry, I have trouble following your guest. I did an intensive 5 year martial arts program, and GREATLY improved my flexibility, stamina and strength. A great part of that was intense warm ups, and extensive stretching afterwards.

To Mary the Dancer - if you've been stretching all these years you should not be tightening up...think about it. And its not always the muscles that are the issue, but the connective tissues, ligaments, etc...that are your problem.

I have to argue about flexibility. I have personally seen a huge improvement in flexibility with consistent exercise and stretching. After hip surgery I for a sports injury, I had 6 months of physical therapy where flexibility of one leg was stressed. I still have greater flexibility in that leg due to the special attention 3 years later. I agree that some people will never be as flexible as others. I have done martial arts for a decade and seen many different types of bodies with different capabilities, but saying that there is only a "little bit of wiggle room" when it comes to flexibility is just false. I think most athletes who have personal experience would agree with me no matter what the "science" says. This is a very hard thing to quantify.

What she said about yoga is correct... THere are people who have done yoga their whole lives and pushed the flexibility limits of their bodies and now are requiring surgery because really, most people are probably not meant to do those things with their bodies.

I disagree with her about stretching! I'm a dancer and I need to do a short warmup and then stretch. Otherwise I just don't have the range of movement and end up with problems, especially now that I'm in my 30s and am starting to have tighter muscles. Running and walking aren't the only forms of cardio out there!

I've been a very moderate runner on and off for decades and have long said that in my desire to continue running into my old age, I prefer to take it easy rather than to try to "prove" something to myself by for example, running a marathon.

It seems to me that that effort is so beyond getting any real health benefits, and on the contrary, you might ironically limit your lifetime of running by overdoing it. I'd prefer to limit it to very modest distances now so I can run into the future.

Please comment on popular exercise not building on basic exercise physiology facts.Specifically, RPE, Rating of Perceived Exertionand, Overload Principle.This is the stuff that makes exercise effective. Well known, but hard work.

As a former Professional FT Personal Trainer, I can straight out tell you that most of the industry is full of idiots who think because they're fit, and obsessed with exercise they can and should train others - and no matter their certification the majority should not be training others.

Of the training I still do with others - the best path I have found is that an individual needs to find their own ways to being fit, and first decide what fit means to them, not the exercise pop-culture!

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